1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to novel mammalian apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) polypeptides, DNAs encoding for the AIF polypeptides, and uses thereof.
2. Related Technology
Apoptosis is essential for the maintenance of tissue size and cell number homeostasis of multi-cellular organisms, and apoptotic abnormalities are thought to play an important role in the development of various neoplastic diseases as well as a number of neurodegenerative diseases.
Mitochondria play a key role in the regulation of apoptosis. A variety of key events in apoptosis involve mitochondria, including the release of caspase activators (such as cytochrome c), changes in electron transport, loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (thus allowing several proteins found within the mitochondrial intermembrane space to be liberated through the outer mitochondrial membrane, thereby participating in the apoptotic degradation phase), altered cellular oxidation-reduction, and which involves the of pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family of proteins. The different signals that converge on mitochondria to trigger or inhibit these events and their downstream effects delineate several major pathways in physiological cell death.
Because apoptosis and its regulation plays a critical role in the maintenance of cellular and tissue homeostasis, there exists a need to develop material and methods for either inducing or inhibiting apoptosis as well as to provide systems for screening for additional candidate substances that either induce or inhibit apoptosis.